Another Choice
by PutteringPoet
Summary: On a dark night, two forbidden lovers meet. Usual Zuko and Katara angst and such. Not sure if I'll continue.


The night sky is alight with bursting fireworks. A young, dark girl stands out alone on an elaborate roofed balcony far up from the ground. Everyone is celebrating. Everyone is happy. It is the end of a war that has lasted a hundred years.

But the girl on the balcony looks tense. Her face is directed towards the fireworks, but her blue eyes seem to be a thousand miles away.

Her hair is a dark, dark brown, her skin almost the color of dark chocolate. Her lips are pursed and her chin rests in her hand.

A door opens and closes behind her. Her eyes meet golden ones and she bites her lip.

"Enjoying the fireworks?"

"Yeah. They're nice."

The boy with the golden eyes smirk as she turns her head back to the flashing lights.

He comes up and leans against the railing next to her at an appropriate distance. "I'm not quite sure nice is what Aang was going for."

She ignores that for a moment. "I'm not very good company right now, Zuko. If you're looking for someone to ooh and aah at the show you should probably go somewhere else."

The boy turns to her with a hurt look on his face. "Katara. You know I don't give a shit about the damn fireworks."

She looks down and her feet and sighs. "I know. I'm sorry. Like I said, I'm not in such a great mood."

"I knew that when I saw you sneaking away from the courtyard."

"I just- I couldn't put on the smile anymore." She blushes and stammers, "I mean, not that they're wrong or anything- It's not you guys, I can't stop thinking or-"

His hand covers her mouth and she quiets instantly. "Just tell me what's wrong." He said intently.

His hand drops when she nods. "I don't know what I'm going to do now. Aang cares about me, a lot more than I want him to. My place has been with him for the last year and now… I feel pressure to stay with him. Everyone expects me to stay with him, but I'm only fifteen. I want to try something new. I want to be around new people. I don't want that to be the only adventure of my life, you know? I mean, I want something new to happen to me. What I'm expecting to happen, I feel weighed down by it."

The boy's face had gotten darker now and his voice is strained as he asks, "What are you expecting exactly?"

"I'm expecting to be with Aang. And... Well I guess that's all." She looks up to him with a frown on her face.

"Why?" His voice is hoarse.

"Because my purpose for so long has been three things; help Aang learn to bend all the elements, defeat the Fire Lord, and restore peace and balance. We've accomplished two. There's one left." Her face looks defeated at her declaration.

Desperately he asks, "Why do you have to be with _him _to restore peace and balance."

"It's the only choice I have."

"No, no it's not." His hands reach for her face and he searches her eyes frantically.

"Zuko," Tears fill her eyes. She embraces him and clings to him for dear life as she sobs.

He wraps his arms around her tightly. "There's always another choice, Katara, always." He whispers into her hair.

"What is it? Tell me, because for some reason the only other option I see is to stay with you."

"Really?"

She nods against his chest.

His hands fist in her hair. "Then stay."

"It's not that easy, you know that. You're Fire Lord now."

His mind searches desperately for some other alternative. He could give the crown to someone else, anyone else; Iroh. No, he wouldn't take it. He could pass a law, any law, just to keep her with him. His mind instantly returns to the nights at the Western Air temples; hot, heavy breaths against his neck as they pounded out a rhythm, the look on her face when she climaxed, her warm shoulder pressed to his mouth as he held her in the dark hours.

His heart clenches at the thought of all that being Aang's.

"We'll figure it out, Katara." They _have_ to.

"There's nothing you can do." Her voice is defeated, painfully resolved. She pulls away from his grip, and he is too shell shocked to stop her from closing the door behind her as she walks into the palace.

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><p>Hey guys, could you please review? It would make me very happy.<p> 


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